A Rejected Union
by Christina Wynnwood
Summary: Sequel to "An Unlikely Pairing"! SS and HG have returned to Hogwarts after professing their love for each other. Will they be able to hide their romance or will it get out? How will the relationship work when met with much opposition? Will love prevail?
1. Chapter 1

_First off, I want to say that this is a sequel to my first HP fanfiction called "An Unlikely Pairing". I completed the story today and decided that I would post up the first chapter of the sequel while I was on a roll. If you're too lazy to read the other story like I tend to be, here's a quick recap of what happened:_

_Hermione Granger and Severus Snape began to develop feelings for each other. Snape, being new to the world of romance, couldn't handle the turmoil in his own heart and mind. He brewed and ingested a potion called Apathementa, which took away every emotion that a person could have. _

_Dumbledore heard about this and laid him off as Potions Master, putting Nymphadora Tonks in his place while Snape was sent to a home to Godric's Hollow until he could create and take an antidote. _

_Months went by until Dumbledore figured out that Hermione had fallen for Snape and that she was actually the antidote to him being emotionless. He sent Hermione there to bring back his feelings. _

_They had sex. He started to feel again. End of story. _

_Well okay... not really. Hence the sequel. =) _

_I decided to put this one up and I hope that it goes as well as the other one did. _

_Now, with that out of the way. I have two stories that I would like to recommend. The first story is "Salubrious Snape Oil" written by DZMom. I'm the beta on the fic and, if you like HG and SS, she offers an excellent take on the relationship! Take a look!_

_The other story that I would like to recommend is called "Riddle Me This, Severus Snape" and that's done by mehguhn. I'm the beta on this fic as well and she offers up a new kind of relationship that includes our favorite Potions Master. _

_Share the love, ladies and gentlemen! _

_Now, down to business. I don't own anything that's related to Harry Potter; I just like to have fun at the characters' expenses! Enjoy!_

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><p>Hermione Granger stared up the long walkway to <em>Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry<em> like she had many times before. The stone testament to education loomed over her, silhouetted against blue skies. Off to the left and right, she was flanked by the towering trees of the _Forbidden Forest_. However, she was the one that now felt "forbidden" in a strange way. As the gates slowly swung open to admit her, she was well aware that things would never be the same.

Her sneakers made a crunching sound on the gravel as she ascended the hill at a decent pace. The footfalls that walked beside kept time with her, stepping in perfect sync. He had refused to wear normal clothing as he arrived back on campus. The hem of his teaching robes billowed about his legs as he walked.

They were empty handed, having magicked their belongings back to their respectable rooms and Hermione found it difficult to stop spinning her wand. She was nervous and needed something to play with to keep her mind occupied.

Her companion cleared his throat and gently took the spinning wand from her. He didn't want her nerves to get to her. "You worry too much. Remember to breathe." She struggled to do so.

Two months ago, that man's voice was the bane of her existence. It would send her into constant spirals of fear or doubt of her abilities. Today, however, she thought it ironic that he was trying to soothe her.

Glancing to her right, she looked into the dark eyes of the man that was walking beside her. He gazed down at her, holding her eyes even while moving in his piercing fashion. "Really, Hermione. It will be okay. I promise."

When they reached the large oak doors to enter the Entrance Hall, they stopped and faced each other. He reached down to take her face in his hand and lay a kiss on her lips. She sighed in contentment as they parted, wishing that they didn't need to return quite so soon. He was still recovering from the loss of his emotions but wouldn't hear it when she told him to take it easy. He insisted upon returning to the castle right away, eager to return to his position of Potions Master.

Severus Snape opened the left door and let his lover and girlfriend step in the hall before him. She never heard the door close behind them.

It was during a change in classes that they had arrived back and the stares began as soon as Severus appeared behind her. He hadn't been seen at the school for months and here he was, arriving back on campus with Hermione Granger.

Her face began to burn and he nudged her from behind, prompting her to move. The whispers started as she whisked past the curious onlookers as quickly as she could without running. The witch could feel Severus on her heels but she didn't dare look back.

Once they were out of the Entrance Hall, the stares and whispers continued all the way up to the Headmaster's office. As they stood outside of the large Griffin that served as his portrait hole, her head began to spin from lack of breathing as they moved so quickly. A couple of deep breaths started to soothe her lungs and her nerves. Judging by the flaring of his nostrils, Severus was doing the same thing.

Without warning, the Griffin before them started to spin to reveal the stairs to the Headmaster's office. After taking a quick look around her, Hermione gently brushed her instructor's hand, hoping to convey the things that he was attempting to assure her of earlier. His smile was thin as he looked down at her, but it was sincere, nonetheless.

Together, they went up the stairs.

Albus Dumbledore had the door open before it even came into view. He greeted them both warmly, pulling them inside and offering copius amounts of tea. Nymphadora Tonks rose to the occasion and embraced Hermione when she entered, smiling from ear to ear with bubblegum pink hair. She gave Severus a knowing wink as she shook his hand and then took her seat again.

Severus and Hermione sat down in a love seat that was across from Tonks. Albus took his place next to Tonks. He conjured up a whole tray of tea and cakes and asked them to eat their fill.

Tonks headed straight for them but neither Hermione or Severus moved. They were very stiff on the couch and Albus frowned in their direction. "Now, now! Don't be silly! There's plenty here! Help yourselves!"

Not wanting to be rude, Hermione reached for a napkin and a cake, nibbling on the edge of it. Severus remained stationary. As they settled, the Headmaster dropped the bomb.

"So, my dearest Severus, how are you feeling?"

"I'm doing alright, Albus. The emotions that I lost are coming back slowly but surely. I've come back to ask for my position from Nymphadora."

The current Potions Mistress sneered at him. "You won't be getting anything back until you call me by my proper name. None of this "Nymphadora" nonsense."

He stiffened but didn't argue. He repeated his request with use of her surname.

She shrugged then. "Of course you can have it back. I was just a place holder. I have work that needs to be taken care of within the Order, anyway. I'm sure that my duties have piled up since I've been gone. Besides, teaching isn't really my thing."

"Are you fit to take the job back on, Severus, or do you need more time to recover?" At Dumbledore's question, Hermione looked at her lover with anxious eyes. _He wouldn't actually admit that he's still getting better, would he?_

"The sooner I restart my job, the better, Albus."

Over his moon-shaped spectacles, the old man seemed to be studying him. Then he turned his attention to Hermione. "What do you think, Miss Granger? Is he ready?"

"Yes, sir. I think so."

"You found the antidote, did you? And administered it?" His eyes twinkled and Tonks snickered into a napkin.

She felt her skin turn red. "Yes, sir…"

"Well then… Welcome back, Severus."

"That's it?" Hermione's voice came out a little louder than she had intended it to. "You aren't going to say anything about… us?"

Tonks burst out laughing. "I mean, as long as you don't go snogging in the corridors!"

Even Dumbledore's grin grew wider. "She's quite right, you know. We might laugh and joke about it but the matter is quite serious. I trust that the two of you will use your better judgment when it comes to personal matters." He chuckled to himself.

Tonks added on "That means to keep it under wraps, kids!"

Severus' eyes narrowed in annoyance but Hermione couldn't help but smile in relief. She wasn't being expelled and Severus had his position back.

Everything was okay, right?

Wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

_Here's chapter two. I was going to send it to DZMom to beta it but I just had to get it out to the public. Hopefully she forgives me. *waits nervously for a positive response* Maybe she'll be placated if my readers took a look at her HG/SS "Salubrious Snape Oil"? Help me out, guys and go review her fanfiction! Lol  
><em>

_Things in my life are very topsy-turvy right now, especially my love life so writing about romance kind of annoys me. However, personal feelings aside, I've got a great vision for this story and I don't want it to suffer due to my own romantic issues. _

_Moving past my blubbering, I've got a lot of great ideas for this sequel and, of course, prepare for another long fanfiction from me. I take the finals for my summer courses tomorrow morning and then I'm free until September. Sure, I have work but other than that, I'll be spending most of my time writing. My readers can look forward to updates every few days. Yay! lol_

_Anyway, here's my next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it! _

_I don't own Harry Potter. Clearly._

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><p>While the meeting with Dumbledore had gone well, Hermione couldn't help but feel very out of place after leaving the Headmaster's office. She walked beside Snape at a brisk pace through the corridors and she knew that there were stares boring into her from curious students. Severus hadn't been on campus for a month's time. Finally, he's seen again in the company of the school's brightest Seventh Year, looking alive and well, like he had never left.<p>

The rumors had been many. One, he was deathly ill. Two, he was sacked. Three, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named called him back into service. Then, here he was, walking through the hallways again.

Severus fully ignored the stares that were coming his way. When the two parted ways to head back to their respective homes, Hermione couldn't help but feel clingy. He gave her a soft smile and moved like he wanted to embrace her, then stopped, thinking better of the idea in a public setting. Instead, he set his face to a scowl and skulked off in the direction of the dungeons.

In her room, Hermione began the tedious task of putting away her clothing. For some reason, Dumbledore had thought it prudent to send all of her belongings to the place in Godric's Hollow. He must have decided that "finding the antidote" would have taken many weeks… _That or he packed more like a woman than a man._

She could have just waved her wand to put her things away but she found it almost soothing to do it the Muggle way, the way that her mother had taught her. _Mum… I haven't written to her in such a long time… I should let her know what's going on but… what would she say to me about it? _

As her mind mused over hypothetical conversations with her parental units, a frantic knock sounded at her door. She opened it without hesitation and Ron and Harry stormed in, locking the latch behind them.

"Harry! Ron! How are you?" She smiled happily at the sight of the two of them before fetching her wand from the dresser.

"Hermione! Where did you go? We've been trying to find you for days now!" Harry's voice was stern but laced with worry.

"Yeah, you just up and left with no note or anything!" Ron's voice echoed his male friend's.

She bit her lip as she waved her wand at the clothes on her bed. They disappeared into their proper places. "I… was sent out by Dumbledore. I didn't have time to leave a note for anyone. I was gone before I could protest."

"Sent out for what? You're not a member of the Order. And even then, he should have sent the two of us with you! It would have been safer." Harry's green eyes sparkled with jealousy as she spoke as he probably assumed that she had been given some kind of important mission and that they had been looked over.

"No, no." She shook her head and her bushy hair fluttered. "It wasn't for the Order. It was… kind of a personal mission for him."

Their looks grew darker and she rephrased her sentence. "I mean, he wanted a favor from someone who knew a lot about potions."

Ron scoffed. "Well, if he wanted that, he shouldn't have sacked the Potions Master. Nothing against Tonks but she just didn't know what she was doing, eh?" He looked to Harry for confirmation.

He nodded but Hermione interrupted before he could add anything. "Snape wasn't sacked, you guys. He… was poisoned. While out on work for the Order."

"Poisoned? By who? One of Voldemort's Death Eaters?"

She shrugged and tried her best to continue with the lie. "I don't know. I wasn't told. But that's what Dumbledore wanted me to do. He asked me to find an antidote for Snape so I did what I could."

Ron's eyes grew wide and his eyebrows disappeared under a nest of red, flaming hair. "Albus Dumbledore asked **you** to find the antidote to some poison? You? Why didn't he do it himself? He's supposed to be the most brilliant guy of the century, right?"

Hermione just shrugged again. "I don't know. I didn't really ask."

Harry crossed her floor to sit on her bed. "Judging by Snape's reappearance today, is it safe to say that you found the antidote?"

Nodding, she told him that she had.

He thought for a few moments, looking like he was going to say something but no words came.

Ron chimed in with "Does this mean that he owes his life to you or something?" Then he shrugged. "Probably wouldn't stop him from being a right git in class though. You could have just let him die, you know. He wouldn't have been missed."

Hermione tried not to let her distress at his words show and settled with giving him a stern look with her arms crossed over her chest. He wilted a little and went to join Harry on the bed.

"Are you going to supper, Hermione?" She blinked at Harry's sudden topic change, nonplussed.

"Well… yes, I guess I am. Why do you ask?"

It was Harry's turn to shrug this time as he shifted his weight on the comforter. "Just curious. Ron and I were hoping you'd meet us during dinner and then we'd get together afterwards in the common room. You've missed some work."

Ron obviously wasn't following what Harry was saying. Hermione grew a little suspicious but hid her feelings to the best of her abilities. "Thanks for the offer, Harry, but I'm rather exhausted. I'll need to eat supper but I was thinking of turning in early tonight. Maybe we could meet tomorrow over our empty third block? I have missed some work that I should make up."

"Or you could do it and I could copy it?" Ron's answer made the three of them laugh, breaking the odd tension that had formed from out of nowhere.

"You'll never pass your N.E.W.T.S if you keep copying my work, Ron." Her voice came out sounding much like Mrs. Weasley's and she quickly pursed her lips shut. "But I suppose I can help."

His face brightened at her words and the trio agreed to meet tomorrow morning in the third block slot. After the boys left her room, Hermione went about straightening the bed. She was bent over the comforter when a small tapping sound at her window made her turn.

A great Barn Owl sat out on the ledge, a piece of parchment attached to his leg. She let the bird in and it allowed her to take the mail. She conjured up a bowl of water for him.

Unrolling the scroll, she read the crisp, clean handwriting to herself with a smile. Her mother had written to her after all, asking how her daughter was and saying that she was worried about not hearing from her.

Putting the cleaning of her room aside for now, Hermione sat down and went about writing a letter to her mum.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello there! I've just gotten back from the beach and I remembered that I had this chapter on my hard drive from before I left. I decided to get it up tonight. _

_You'll notice that this chapter takes a new turn at the end of it. And it needs a little bit of clarifying, I think. _

_I never really explained the alternate universe that I had in mind for these fanfictions. I've just been revealing as I go along, I guess. Hermione is in her Seventh and final year at Hogwarts. Voldemort has been resurrected but has been in hiding. His return has not been made fully public. Sirius is alive. Dumbledore is alive. So are Tonks and Remus. _

_As this fanfiction moves along, I want to focus on the duality of Severus; light and dark. I want to focus on his affiliation with Dumbledore and the Golden Trio but I want to make clear the struggles that he faces with being drawn to the dark. After all, he lives in a dungeon. Hermione is someone who lives very much in the light but if the two want to make the relationship work, there's going to be some shadows she has to cross and some sunlight he has to endure. _

_That's all I'm going to say at the moment. I just wanted it to be clear in my alternate universe thinking. _

_Of course, I don't own Harry Potter. I write for fun._

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><p>Hermione wrote:<p>

_Mum, _

_ I had just thought about writing you when I got your owl. A lot has happened in the past month and I haven't really had the chance to sit down and compose a message to you. Sorry for being neglectful in communicating. It's times like this that I miss the telephone. _

_ Classes are going well. Do you remember me telling you about Professor Snape? He took a leave of absence from the school for health reasons and Tonks took his position. You met her in Diagon Alley last year, I believe. But Professor Snape is back now so Tonks has taken up her old Auror job. Other than that, everything is as it should be. _

_ You might be surprised to know that I might have a potential romantic interest. I'm not quite sure how to describe him to you through letters but I hope to have you meet him soon, if you would. Dad would have to introduce himself as well. I won't mention his name yet because I'm not sure if it's going to go anywhere. If it does, I'll let you know._

_ Harry and Ron send their love and I'll be home soon for the Christmas break. _

_Love Always,_

_Hermione_

She paused over the written paragraphs with a dry quill, wondering if she should edit the letter at all. She wasn't sold on the idea that she had mentioned a romantic interest to her mother just yet. Of course, her mother was no fool but her parents would never suspect that she was sleeping with a professor. In the end, she attached it to the owl's leg and sent him off without changing a thing.

Alone again in her room, she thought that it must be getting close to supper because the sun was nearly the tops of the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Her mind ran over the conversation that she had just had with her two best friends. She cringed at the lies that she had fed them. Once upon a time, she wouldn't have hesitated on telling them the truth but the look on Harry's face made her reconsider her words.

Lying on her now-clean bed, she wondered if her best friends would accept her relationship and what would it mean for their "Golden Trio" if they didn't. Thinking back to their previous years at Hogwarts, she recalled all of the times that they spoke ill of Severus behind his back. Ron had made it dreadfully clear that he wouldn't mind drowning him in the lake or locking him in a room of screaming mandrakes. Harry was rarely as blunt as Ron on the topic but had an intense dislike for him all the same.

Severus also wasn't fond of Harry, or really any student expect for those of his own House. Would he be kinder towards her friends now? Or would he be just as horrible as ever? Would they fight and bicker over it?

With a headache starting to brew in her forehead, she attempted to quell her mind's questioning. It was far too early in the relationship to worry about such things. There was no preparing for what may happen because she didn't have an inkling of what the future held. Still, she felt uneasy as she descended the stone stairs to the common room.

On her way to the Great Hall, she held onto that uneasiness. Still feeling like she was being stared at, she held her head down and walked quickly. When she met with Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table, she smiled and tried to act natural.

She knew he had entered the room before she even saw him.

The lightest feeling of static caressed her on the cheek and compelled her to look towards the staff table. He was entering from the side door, locking his eyes with hers for the briefest moment before exchanging pleasantries with Minerva.

Hermione went back to her food as quickly as she could, feeling a light blush creep to her cheeks. She reached for a goblet of pumpkin juice to wash away the lump in her throat.

Harry and Ron started talking to her about the classes she had missed and the work that was piling up. She only half-listened, being acutely aware of Severus at the staff table, who would look up at her periodically. Once, she had to stifle a gasp as she looked down at her pudding and the word "later" had been drawn into it. Promptly, she shoved a spoonful in her mouth and choked in her haste.

After the meal, Hermione walked back up to the tower with her friends. They all said good night and she returned to her room. Once there, a warm shower was in order, followed by teeth brushing and hair drying. After her nightly routine, she returned to her bedchamber, dressed in fluffy flannel pajamas, wanting to be as comfortable as possible. Sitting down at her desk, she considered sending Severus a note but couldn't find the words she wanted to say to him. Instead, she used the piece of parchment to start working on her Transfiguration essay.

Around midnight, she heard a slight scuffling sound at her door and paused to put the quill down. She listened intently, straining to hear the sound again. When nothing was heard, Hermione went to the door and opened it, checking the hallway for any animals or people. With no one there, she shut the door again and locked it.

Going back to her desk, she yelled as something grabbed her from behind and wrapped around her waist.

In a panic, she began to beat at the invisible intruder, eyes searching frantically for her wand. Her efforts died suddenly when Severus' face appeared very close to hers and he kissed her lips with a smile.

Still very shocked, Hermione wrenched herself away from him and stumbled back. She was staring at his head floating in the middle of her bedchamber. "Severus!" She was out of breath from the struggle. "You have an Invisibility Cloak!"

His smile was still slight as the rest of his body clothed in robes appeared. "I don't. This charm goes farther than just invisibility. It muffles my sound and presence as well. I am, essentially, a tangible ghost while I use it."

Heart settling in her chest, she questioned him. "A charm? I haven't heard of such a spell."

"You wouldn't, Hermione. It's an old Death Eater skill."


	4. Chapter 4

_Short chapter here. You'll notice that I've got a bit of writer's block. Not fun. _

_And I'm not getting many reviews. Come on, guys! Show me some love! I know that more people are reading than that! Don't be afraid to speak up! What do you love? What do you hate? Have a voice! _

_I don't own Harry Potter!_

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><p>Hermione opened and closed her mouth several times. Like everyone else in the castle, she knew that Snape was a former Death Eater but to hear him announce it to her in so frank a manner took her off guard. Severus must have gathered the awkward vibes that were emanating from her because his smile faded away.<p>

"You knew I used to serve the Dark Lord, Hermione, yes?"

She nodded as she sat down on the edge of her bed. He couldn't read the look on her face.

"I have long since been reformed. Albus would not allow me to set foot in the castle otherwise. You know this." When she didn't speak, he added. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Severus' voice was gentle and Hermione couldn't help but notice how uncharacteristic the tones sounded in her ears. Unsure of how to phrase her questions, she hesitated and his spirit seemed to sink a little lower. With a little less pep, he approached the bed and sat down.

When he rolled up the sleeve of his left arm, his pale skin shone in the moonlight. At first, she noticed nothing but her took her hand and guided it over the very slight scars that raised his skin. "I bear little physical evidence to show that I ever stood on his side, but that doesn't mean that my mind has forgotten his secrets." In saying this, Severus sounded almost bitter.

"Why did you ever join Voldemort?" Unable to find another way to word it, Hermione came out with her thought. "What did he offer you?"

"I wasn't raised like you were. You grew up with Muggles, unaware of the dangers of our world." He paused and then waved his wand in a lazy circle. The candles dimmed and it took the Seventh Year a few moments to realize that he was hiding his face from her, as though he was ashamed. Though she was nervous, she moved closer to him and took his hand. He held onto it.

"Think of the last two years… hearing rumors that he's been gathering strength and forces again… encountering him… witnessing the deaths he causes and the fear that rises. That was my childhood. For fifteen years, that's all there was. Everyone was terrified, wizard and Muggle alike. Even from behind the walls of Hogwarts, we knew what was going on outside."

"When I graduated, I had nothing. Voldemort promised me power." His gaze on her grew darker. "I had never known the love of another. The only thing that mattered to me was strength. He gave that to me."

His last note rang in the silence and Hermione suppressed the shiver that threatened to run up her back. Clearly, she pictured the events of the past two years and tried to imagine that going on for 15 years.

"It was the winning side. The ones who opposed him died. They always did. I wanted life so I choose to side with him. No one saw an end to his reign until Harry Potter."

"But even before Harry," she blurted out, "You had your misgivings, right? Something told you that it wasn't the life you wanted?"

Severus shook his head. "No. It took a year after his downfall for me to truly denounce who I had been. The others ran and hid. Some were caught and they confessed my name and the names of other men and women but the mark was long gone. Albus worked on my side when I was tried and almost convicted. By some miracle, they let me go under the pretense I would stay and work in the castle. I think that the Ministry assumed that Albus Dumbledore would be able to keep a former Death Eater in line."

She swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of her throat. "Did he always trust you?"

"No. But in time he did. Though, when word arose of Voldemort's return, I thought I could see him look at me differently. That feeling has since dissipated."

"You haven't… considered… going back to him, have you?"

"No. There's no reason to."

"There was no reason to then, either." She set her jaw into a stubborn line.

He let go of her hand. "You're too intelligent to be naïve on the topic. You don't understand yet I don't expect you to."

Hermione didn't respond, feeling very tense. With a sigh, the Potions master leaned forward, kissed her lips and then stood up. "I'll leave you be for tonight then." With that, his body disappeared again, the door opened and then closed.

Judging by the still air in the room, Hermione could tell she was alone.

She let out a breath of air and then laid back onto her blankets. When Severus had exited the room, the candles had come back to life and Hermione was now watching the shadows dance across the walls.

A biting paranoia or strange worry was sitting in her chest. If Severus had been a Death Eater, he had been part of the evil plots of the Dark Lord. He had murdered people and probably tortured the ones he spared.

…_But… that's not who he is anymore… _

If he remembered all the "tricks" that Voldemort had taught him… shouldn't he remember the victims he took?

She shivered at that thought and extinguished the candles in her bedchamber. Rolling over to try to sleep, she could feel the raised skin of the scar under her fingertips, haunting her mind. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists until the sensation went away. After a few moments, she breathed again, telling herself that she was being ridiculous.

_He's on our side… And he'll stay here… I'll make sure of it. I'm not sure how… but I will._

She got up from her bed and began to dress herself in the dark. _  
><em>


	5. Chapter 5

_So here's chapter five. It's a little longer than my other chapters have been for one reason who another. _

_I've got something important to say. I want to get more reviews. I know that a lot of people have this story on Story Alert yet there are only a handful that review consistently. So I'll make those quieter readers a deal. If you write a review that's at least two lines long on my story, then I'll write a review on one of yours. Sound good? That goes for everyone, of course. I'll start keeping track of who reviews after this chapter is posted. It may take a few days but I'll review your story ASAP. _

_We'll see if this works. Help me out! _

_Anyway, I tried to make Hermione and Snape seem like a more normal couple in this chapter. Why? The next chapters are going to mess with their relationship so I wanted to give them some peace for the time being. Wait for the next chapters to see what happens!_

_Finally, I don't own Harry Potter!_

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><p>There weren't many students wandering the corridors at that time of night so Hermione's path to the dungeons was unobstructed. However, once she was there, she relaxed and turned a corner too quickly, running straight into the man she was coming to see and the Head of Gryffindor!<p>

Blinking and stepping back, Hermione stuttered an apology for knocking the books out of Professor McGonagall's arms. Quickly, she knelt down to pick them up.

"Miss Granger! What are you doing out of your tower at this time at night?" The older woman's crow's feet crinkled in the corners of her eyes as she narrowed them at the much younger witch.

"And wandering around the dungeons, no less." Severus' voice was cool and dangerous. She chanced a glance at his eyes and they were dark.

Giving the books back to her Transfiguration professor, she stepped back to straighten her robes. "Please, professor. I was coming down here to borrow a few sprigs of lavender from the student supply. I only just arrived back today and I was having trouble sleeping. I thought to make myself a quick brew of tea."

"It's nearing curfew, Granger. And the student supply is locked within my classroom." Snape was keeping up his normal malevolent persona very well. It made Hermione feel uncomfortable.

"He's quite right, my dear." Minerva's voice was stern. "You mustn't be caught wandering about after hours. If you're in need of a sleeping draught, you should visit Madame Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing."

"Oh, but perhaps she wanted to make the brew herself, Minerva… Add that particular ability to her long list of boastful talents to put the other Seventh Years to shame…"

Hermione tried her best not to let his words get to her but she couldn't help but feel the slight sting of blushing on her cheeks. "None of that, Severus." Professor McGonagall's voice sounded a bit like the snapping of a mouse trap, curt and quick. "I doubt that that was her intention. No need to sound bitter that a member of my House surpasses all members of yours." Before he could retort, she added, "Why didn't you visit the Hospital Wing, Granger?"

She tried not to notice the daggers that Snape was sending Minerva's way from his eyes. She appeared not to see them either, or she didn't care. It was highly unusual to hear such talk amongst staff members. "Er… I didn't wish to wake her if she was already asleep. Professor Snape, could you please unlock the door for me? I'll be very quick so it's not an inconvenience to you."

Still flaring his nostrils to keep from shooting a retort back at his fellow professor, his eyes snapped back to the bushy haired girl. "I will. But it will cost ten points from Gryffindor for being in my wing after dark." He turned on his heel towards the Potions classroom.

She scuttled after him while the Transfiguration professor strode up the stairs. Before she got out of earshot, Hermione swore she heard "And ten points to Gryffindor for having a student who likes to deal with problems on her own." She tried not to smile as she followed the black billowing robes.

Snape led her down the hall and unlocked the Potions door with a tap from his wand. He allowed the girl to enter before him saying "Take what you need quickly before my patience runs out."

Acting as though she was heading towards the closet door, she stopped and turned when she heard him closing and locking the entrance. "You didn't have to be quite so… convincing, you know." Her hands went to her hips. Instantly, she was reminded of Mrs. Weasley. She folded her arms across her chest instead.

"You couldn't sleep after our… discussion?" He seemed to glide across the stone floor towards her but his eyes were still dark. They worried her slightly and she hoped that he wasn't upset with her.

She sighed and said, "No. I couldn't. But I had no intentions on coming up with a sleeping draught. I wanted to speak with you. In your office, if we could."

"My office is closed after hours, Miss Granger." He moved to unlock the door anyway and stepped inside. "However, my quarters are open if you seek a more private conference." With a small smile, she followed him down the hall that connected his office to his living arrangements. The door felt shut behind her with a snap.

"What was Professor McGonagall doing down here?"

Snape stopped at a wooden door and took out his wand to unlock it. "Minerva was kind enough to welcome me back."

He invited her into to the sitting room of his quarters. She stepped inside and was pleased to find a fire roaring in the grate. The furniture was plush and rather comfortable looking. The walls were lined with shelves full of books. She tried not to show the surprise on her face. She failed.

He moved past her so he could better see the look in her eyes. "Yes? Did you think that I lived as a slime ball in the dungeons? I should think that those are the rumors that circulate the halls."

Almost ashamed for not being able to hide herself better she bit her lip and muttered a small apology. Without warning, she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. "And I'm sorry for earlier. I was unsure of how to react to what you were telling me. I came to apologize."

It took Severus a moment to catch on to the affection that she was exhibiting but, within a few moments, he returned her hug and bent his neck down to inhale the scent of her hair. "It was possibly unfair of me to expect a positive reaction from you. I apologize."

Lifting herself onto her tiptoes, she kissed him lightly on the lips, letting her own linger for just a moment. Then she laid her hand on the side of his face and stared into his eyes. "How are you feeling? Being back in the castle and everything."

"I'm glad to be home, back in my own space."

Being a wise-ass, she chirped "Didn't miss the students?"

"No. They didn't miss me, I'm sure. Did you see the way that they looked at us when we arrived?"

She let herself shrink down, step back, and cross her arms. "Yes, I did. I still feel like I'm being stared at in the corridors."

Taking her by the hand, he sat down and pulled her to sit next to him. "I noticed. It will settle eventually, I think."

Hermione didn't speak. For a few minutes, she was content to cuddle up next to him, his warmth keeping her comfortable in the dungeon room. Suddenly, when it was completely silent, she blurted out "I sent a letter to my mum, saying that I have a romantic interest."

"Oh?" Contrary to everything Severus was, she heard the surprise in his voice.

"Yeah… I suppose that I'll have to let her know that I'm dating at some point. But I don't know how to tell her that I've shagged my professor."

The seconds ticked by in silence before he found the words. "Well… must you tell her now? Wouldn't it be wiser to wait?"

"I'm not sure… She'll want to meet you, you know. Not long after I tell her."

"I…" He paused before finishing his sentence and the rest of his speech came out in a strangled whisper. "I… have to meet your parents?"


	6. Chapter 6

_And here's another chapter! I've been updating fanfictions like mad for the past few days. Don't you love it when you feel the need to write nonstop? It's so productive! _

_I'm still offering reviews for reviews. That will keep going on from now until the time that I stop writing... which will be when I'm dead. I love hearing some feedback and I know that you do too! Review, review, review! _

_I'm giving you fair warning that this chapter is certainly rated M. It's not as graphic as it could have been but it's not rated anything less. _

_As always, I don't own Harry Potter or any related materials._

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><p>She extracted herself from his arms to sit up and stare. "Well… yes, of course. Maybe not at this very moment but you must meet them someday."<p>

"Are you for certain this is mandatory? What are they likely to think of your dating a man fifteen years older than you?" The look on his face held definite distaste as though he was positive of a negative reaction.

Hermione shrugged and said, "When you put it like that, it sounds pretty bad and they aren't likely to react well. You'll just have to be on your best behavior, won't you?" Her smile came back after a few seconds as she regarded his body language. He looked relaxed enough but she could sense the tenseness in his shoulders under his robes.

His expression didn't change and she watched with amusement as his nostrils flared in and out. It was his classic sign of agitation. The witch couldn't help but giggle at him. "You were willing to carry on a relationship against the entire wizarding community but you're afraid to meet my parents?"

Eyes locked onto hers, he said in a low voice, "No one said anything about being afraid. Cautious, perhaps. But certainly not afraid."

With a grin on her face and in one fluid movement, she changed positions to straddle his hips. Her lips descended onto his, capturing them in a passionate embrace. She broke away rather suddenly, her cheeks a brighter red than they had been just a few moments ago. "Don't worry," her voice came out in a sexy whisper, "I think you'll find that they'll approve after a little bit of work."

She could read the amusement in his eyes though he did his best to keep his voice low and gruff. "Oh? Why don't you convince me?"

She lowered her neck to whisper in his ear, lips grazing his skin. "How could I possibly do that?" She travelled to the base of his neck, nibbling as she went, lips as soft as silk, leaving a trail of goose pimples wherever she touched. Her fingers grasped at her wand in her back pocket so she could pull it out. "You're so very difficult to convince of anything."

Hermione leaned back with her wand. He watched her eyes and she read the hunger there. Her wand trailed his jawbone and his breath seemed to quicken. She drew his face up with the tip, almost like she held a knife there, and then she moved down. When the wooden tip touched the fabric of his robes, they peeled themselves away, exposing his pale chest to her in the firelight.

He growled to her now as he grasped her forearms and stood up, letting the robes fall to the stone floor. "If you go about the right channels, you'll find that I'm rather easy to persuade." He went to kiss her but she danced out of his grip and leaped over the couch, showing a nimble nature that he hadn't seen before.

Feeling warm and flushed, Hermione took in the sight of his naked body from head to toe. He wasn't a body builder but his body certainly made her desire him. His arms and chest were thick, strong and, though he didn't have the abdominals of a fitness freak, the skin there was smooth and soft-looking. Her eyes traveled downward from there.

Severus enjoyed the mischievous grin she wore as her eyes made their way down his skin. He didn't feel self conscience or even cold in the dungeon air. Though, he couldn't help but feel like things weren't exactly fair.

Wandless (as it was still in his robes), he muttered a word from the corner of his mouth. Hermione gasped as her robes fell off of her and the couch that sat between them disappeared. Severus didn't waste time in closing the distance.

"How did you-?" Her words were cut short by a kiss that drove her to the wall. Books fell from the shelves and she moaned, feeling his erect member pressing between her legs.

The last time they made love, they took the time to explore each other's bodies, pleasuring each other before the main act occurred. This time, however, there was a different sense of urgency. The heat was hotter and he was harder, seeking entrance to her body.

Lifting one leg, she wrapped it around his waist and drew him ever closer. He took the invitation as she offered it and she breathed his name in the darkness, feeling him fill her completely. From there, the pleasure started building.

This was completely different as he quickened against her, wasting no time in making her climax. He growled against her neck as he followed her in orgasm, thrusts growing weaker and weaker with each movement. Finally, he slipped out of her and stepped back.

Her foot fell to the floor and she leaned against the wall for support, a tired smile plastered to her face.

He laughed deep in his chest and then pulled her towards the bedchamber.

With the hot water running, they took a shower together, wiping off the sweat and various fluids that laid on their bodies. After wards, with another muttered word, Hermione's hair instantly dried and they cuddled into his king-sized four poster bed.

As they laid in the dark, Hermione's fingers traced the skin of his chest. He pulled her closer and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I love you." His voice sounded relaxed and content.

"I love you too… But you still have to meet my parents."

He laughed and pulled her on top of him. There, she propped her chin up on her elbows and used his chest for support. "Do I now? I didn't distract you sufficiently enough?"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as well. "You did. But I won't forget."

"Indeed you won't." He reached up and tucked an unruly lock of hair behind her ear.

"Promise me that you will. And that you'll keep a positive head about it." The slightly stubborn look on her face made his heart melt, a strange feeling to a former emotionless man. _She's beautiful…_

"I promise. I can't say no to you." The stubborn look gave way to a genuine smile. "Tell me something though. Answer honestly to the best of your ability."

The smile faded a bit, anticipating a serious question.

And his face reflected just that, that a serious question was about to surface. His lips parted and out came the last thing Hermione expected to hear.

"How did I get so lucky to hold a beautiful woman like you in my arms?"


	7. Chapter 7

_Sorry that this has taken so long to be posted. My laptop died just last week and I haven't been able to get a new one yet. Hopefully I'll have one in another two weeks or so. Until then, My postings will be fewer and farther between. Sorry about that, guys! _

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><p>For the first time in her life, Hermione Granger didn't have the answer to a question.<p>

Normally, she was the shining pupil in any class, hand constantly raised in an effort to provide the instructor with the right information. She spent most of her time in the library or in her room, going over her notes and homework so that the material would stick with her. Now, however, as she laid on top of her lover's chest, her tongue stuck in her mouth and no answer came to mind.

Severus smiled and reached up to touch her hair again. He repeated the question in the quietest, gentlest voice he could muster. "How did I get so lucky?" His smile was sincere and clearly he wasn't aware of the turmoil going through her mind at something innocent to him.

Being the top of her class wasn't everything that people saw it for. Hermione worked hard to be recognized for her intelligence to make up for her shortcomings in physical looks. Never one to call herself "beautiful" or even "pretty", she used her brains to make herself feel adequate as a human being.

Instead of speaking any of this out loud, she laid her head down on his chest and didn't look at him.

Severus felt the way that her body seemed to stiffen and he acknowledged that she broke eye contact with him as well. Conflict raged in his head. Obviously, he had somehow come across a sensitive topic but it was one that he wanted to pursue. How could such an obvious compliment suddenly upset her?

_Women…_ he thought to himself… _such complicated creatures…_

"Hermione? Did I say something wrong?" His voice was probing but soft as he tried the unobtrusive approach with her. "I'm sorry if I've upset you. I assure you that that wasn't my intention."

She remained silent, staring off into the darkness of his bedchamber. Even though she was under a thick blanket and on top of a warm blanket, she felt chilled and a little cornered. Not wanting to lie to him couldn't overrule the feeling of avoidance on the topic. With that thought, she rolled off of him and slid out of the bed with a strained smile.

"You didn't upset me. Don't worry. But I should be returning to my dormitory. It's late." She looked around her. "Um… where did my robes go?"

With a lazy wave of his wand, her garments flew to her body, dressing her instantly. "You shouldn't leave my chamber at this time. The corridors are being patrolled. Should you be caught by Mr. Filch, you risk getting a detention or lost points for your House."

She was using her wand to smooth her hair in a mirror on the wall. "I'll move quickly and quietly. I can silence my footsteps if need be." Hermione didn't see him get out of the bed until he was standing right behind her, clothed in black silk pajamas.

"Please stay. I'm offering you polite invitation to spend the night."

Hermione pursed her lips and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Severus, but I can't. I mustn't be seen leaving the dungeons in the early morning."

He was frowning now at her blatant refusal. "It's early in the morning already. It would look worse to leave now and be caught."

"I'm sorry." Her tone was quiet and final-sounding. She stood on her toes to peck him on the cheek and then quickly headed towards the door to his quarters. Getting there, she grabbed the handle and pulled, expecting it to come open. When it didn't, she paused and then tried to unlock it by using _Alohamora_.

Spinning on her heel, she saw him leaning in the doorway to his bedroom with a grim smile on his face. "Another old Death Eater trick. You can't leave until you have my permission. The door won't open."

Believing him, she let go of the handle and stomped her foot in a childish display of frustration. "Severus, let me out! This is NOT fair."

"You're right."

She froze and looked at him strangely. "What do you mean?"

"You locked me in your bedchamber, demanding answers to questions that I hadn't considered in a long time. You took me off guard and expected me to just open up myself to you." His voice held a certain venom and she suddenly felt like she was in the classroom, being stared down by malevolent Potions Master.

He continued on with "I asked you one question that was meant to be a compliment, yet it clearly put you in some sort of distress. Now I'm asking you why and I demand an answer. When you open up, the door will, too."

She regarded him in annoyance though she wouldn't deny that he had a point. She had done the very same thing to him not too long ago but then, he had the luxury of escaping through the bathroom window. Here, in the dungeons, there were no windows. Scowling, she spoke through gritted teeth. "For an innocent man in this time, you sure use a lot of your old Master's tricks."

The comment did what she meant it to. If possible, his eyes narrowed into smaller slits. Her words had been biting and annoyed. He knew this and worked to press down the peculiar feeling that was creeping up in his chest. The girl really had the innate ability to press his buttons. Being the older, more mature one, he didn't rise to the occasion.

With a huff, she flopped onto his couch and crossed her arms. That only lasted a few seconds before she said "_Accio_ book", concentrating on a single one on the massive shelf with a flick of her wand. It flew to her outstretched hand. She began to flip through it. "The silent treatment. Yeah. Real mature."

"What would be an appropriate response to such a caustic statement?" His tone was a little annoyed and sounded like he was forcing himself to stay calm. "You've planted the catalyst to an argument."

This time, it was her turn to remain silent. After nearly three minutes of no talking, Severus snapped his fingers and the book she was flipping through disappeared. "I am speaking to you. You should pay attention."

Hermione looked at him in amazement at first, then in anger. "Oh, wandless magick. Another brilliant trick from Voldemort, no? Well, I don't think it appropriate to use."

"Actually," he said coolly, taking a seat next to her, "Albus taught me that." He reached for her hand and she didn't pull away. "Now tell me, what's wrong with the question I asked you earlier? Why did it upset you?"

"Everything is wrong with it. You're mistaken on how you see me."

Severus just raised his eyebrows.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey there, readers! I'm terribly sorry that I haven't been posting anything lately. My laptop died and I've yet to get a new one. I'm still hoping to have the old one fixed because she's been my faithful friend for four years! I know that I can't be the only writer on here that treats her computer like a best friend. I mean, hey, my computer knew secrets that I wouldn't let anyone else know. From my passwords to bank accounts to credit card information, she knew it all. I hope I can fix her. _

_Yes, I'm a little nuts. Oh well. _

_Here's another chapter. It's shorter than most of my other ones because I didn't have a lot of time to type. There are probably some typos to it. Sorry in advance. _

_I wish I had more time to type this out because there's supposed to be a lot of emotion behind it. Again. Oh well. _

_I'm also a little behind on reviewing the stories of people who have reviewed mine. If you reviewed my story and I haven't done so to yours then send me a PM with the name of the story that you want me to look at and I'll be sure to do so. Sorry about the delay.  
><em>

_As always, I don't own Harry Potter._

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><p>Eyebrows thrust towards the ceiling, Severus regarded her with a mildly bewildered look upon his face. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't understand without explanation."<p>

His fingers wrapped around hers and warmed her skin when it was cold. The gesture was comforting to her but that didn't make the pending conversation any easier, considering that she hadn't spoken on the topic for many years.

"It's possible that I… I may have bewitched you." The corners of his lips twitched but she continued on anyway. "It was unintentional, believe me, and I'm not sure how I went about doing it but I don't think that you're meant to love me. I mean, we can do magick without meaning to, right? All witches and wizards can do some things without wands. Before I got my letter for Hogwarts, I was always making things happen. I hadn't a wand or any knowledge of this world, but I was still an active part of it."

Severus' eyes turned thoughtful. "Indeed… children do have a certain amount of strength before they come of a magickal age and you, being a well-trained and an intelligent witch could still possibly do the same unintentional magick. Though, what makes you think that I've been… bewitched?" It seemed as though the term was comical to him as his smile was brief.

It made Hermione feel like she was being mocked but she swallowed those feelings and pressed on, staring at the stone floor. "You're a fully-grown, established wizard, and the Potions Master of the greatest school of wizardry there is. I'm nothing but a bookworm student with frizzed-out hair and questionable looks. How else would you be interested in me if magick wasn't involved?"

Silence hung between them for a few moments before he suddenly got up and strode to his bookshelf. Hermione couldn't see what he was doing but she heard books sliding off the shelf and papers being rustled. He returned to the couch with a roll of old parchment. Unrolling it, his silky voice read its contents out loud.

"_Contrary to what Muggles believe, love potions do not create actual love. Instead, they produce intense feelings of adoration within the person who has consumed it. Often times, it creates obsession and the person having brewed it is disappointed by the erratic behavior of their projected lover. The antidote is administered and a lesson learned._

_Similar behavior has been recorded by people who have been affected by bewitchment charms and other spells of the same category. A person under the influence of someone else's magick will exhibit dilated pupils, a dazed look on their face, and a loss of memory that doesn't pertain to the magick-doer in question._

_This is why I can say that "love" potions and charms aren't named properly. They are misnomers. Rather, they should be called "Infatuation" charms or "Obsession" potions. True love happens naturally and cannot be forced upon a person. When the time is right, love forms and when it does, then it comes without the aforementioned symptoms. While the rationale of the person in love may not always be fully intact, they will not have the symptoms of a bewitched individual."_

Confused at first, Hermione listened to his words and her eyes grew larger as he progressed. By the time he had finished and handed the scroll to her, she understood why he had taken it from its home on the shelf. Now, with the parchment in her hands, she could remember exactly what the writing prompt asked of her four years ago.

"Explain the effects of love potions and charms. Furthermore, explain if they are aptly named and why you've come to that conclusion." Severus spoke the words as she thought them. "You were only a second year then, Hermione. If you had forgotten what you wrote on the final exam, it's right there in front of you in your hand."

With his wand, he tapped the parchment and she was left grasping the air.

"As you can see, I don't have the signs of someone who has been bewitched. My feelings for you are genuine, whether you have ridiculous reason to think otherwise or not. What you see when you look in the mirror does not affect my vision of you, Hermione. I consider myself lucky to call you mine."

As they were so often with her, his words were soft and barely audible. They danced through her ears and brought tears to her eyes. Quickly she wiped them away and leaned into him, wrapped her arms around his torso.

He welcomed and embraced her, a smile playing across his lips.


	9. Chapter 9

_Sorry that I'm not updating. I still don't have a laptop. Hopefully this time next week I'll be purchasing a new one. I really hate not being able to type my chapters up right away! Writing them out is so slow! Oh well, enjoy this next chapter and I hope to get more writing done soon!_

_I don't own Harry Potter!_

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><p><em>It doesn't matter…<em> Hermione thought to herself, as she hurried out of the dungeons the next morning. _It doesn't matter that I didn't tell him about my self esteem issues concerning my looks. It's not all that important. Besides, he's so much older than me. He can't comprehend the mental barriers of a young woman. Hell, he couldn't understand his own emotions so he brewed them away!_

She was lucky that she was able to make it to the Great Hall without any of the Slytherins recognizing her. Before going in for breakfast, she slipped into a broom closet and used her wand to remove the green from her robes, replacing them with the scarlet colors of her House. Though Severus had been sure that she would have been safe, Hermione had been unwilling to risk such a thing. Draco Malfoy alone would have been sure to harrass her until the entire school knew that she was sneaking from the dungeons first thing in the morning.

Straightening herself out, she opened the closet and stepped out, knocking into the blonde haired boy. He dropped his books and sneered at her. "Granger! Having a snog with someone in the closet before breakfast, eh?" As usual, he was flanked by his usual cronies and Crabbe didn't waste time in yanking open the door.

When he grunted that no one was there, Malfoy laughed harder, getting the attention of passing students. "Would you look at that? Granger's got to snog herself now to get her kicks in! What's the matter? No one would agree to join you?"

A small crowd was starting to form around Hermione and her cheeks were burning with a light pink hue. She kept repeating the same phrases in her head, over and over again, trying to block out his pointless taunts. _He's just being a git. He's just being a git. Don't rise… don't get angry._

"It's a shame you didn't ask Weasley. I'm sure he'd give his last knut to bed you." Snickers went around the people gathered, which was mostly comprised of Slytherins.

"Shove off, Malfoy." Her voice was low as she tried to push past them. Like butter, she cut her way through the people, deciding that she'd rather just head back to her dormitory in light of his teasing. But the Slytherin was persistant.

After instructing Goyle to carry his books, Malfoy set off after her. "What's the matter? Not hungry for breakfast? No, I guess not. You must take care to make sure your arse doesn't get any bigger!"

He followed her through two corridors and three flights of stairs before Hermione heard a chilling voice sound behind her. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked back to see Severus intercepting Malfoy from one of the empty classrooms.

"Mr. Malfoy… You've come quite a way from the dungeons."

"Professor," he answered coolly, only a slight sneer on his lips. "We were simply escorting Granger back to her dormitory. For her safety, of course."

"Safety from what, Draco? There is nothing in the castle that Ms. Granger cannot handle properly on her own. I daresay, she should be escorting you back to the dungeons."

Hermione's face grew darker as she saw Malfoy visibly sink a few inches. "Professor?"

"You heard me, Draco. There's no need to strut around the corridors. You're no better than most in here. Learn your place."

Crabbe and Goyle looked more dumbfounded than usual and Hermione moved to the right a little, to get a better look at Severus' face. It looked the same as it usually did when he was surveying a Gryffindor, not speaking to a member of his own House.

"You owe Ms. Granger an apology. I heard everything you said. Apologize or detention with Mr. Filch."

Malfoy looked like Snape had slapped him. His mouth hung open in shock and he seemed unable to form words properly.

"Professor Snape…" Hermione came forward quietly. "It really isn't needed. Really."

The Potions Master looked down at her with a look in his eyes that made Draco shuffle his feet in an uncomfortable manner. The movement made Severus blink and he whispered to the boys "Go. Get to class. Stay out of Gryffindor's wing." They didn't move. "Go!" he yelled, and they moved to walk away, muttering about his odd behavior.

She waited until they were out of earshot. "You shouldn't have done that. You know his connections. They'll be talking."

"No matter. He'll learn at some point that he isn't royalty."

"Maybe but that lesson doesn't need to come in defense of me!"

His smile was soft. "Aren't you late for class?"

"Does it matter?" Her tone was exasperated and she shrugged. "You could just write me an excusal note."

"Do you need one?" A piece of parchment appeared in front of him without any inclination from him.

"No!" She tried to snatch it and it disappeared, but she fell off balance and he caught her, raising her chin to his and kissing her passionately.

For a second, she was lost in the kiss but the moment was short lived when she heard someone clear their throat. Judging by the quality of the sound, Hermione thought it was Dumbledore but when she turned, Ron's eyes were the size of dinner plates.

Harry had a look of disgust on his face. He pulled his wand out and took aim for Severus.


	10. Chapter 10

_I still haven't gotten a new laptop but my father has taken pity on me. He's letting me use his computer until I have enough money to buy my own. I think that he was getting tired of seeing me mope about the house. lol. Well, I'm not complaining. I'm glad to be back writing now. _

_This chapter was written out in a hurry. I just wanted to get it posted up before the night was out. My views in the last month have really gone down. I attribute that to my not posting though and I want to see a significant increase again. _

_Well, here's another chapter. Please leave me feedback? _

_Also, I'm thinking about starting a new HP fanfic but I don't know which relationship I should focus on. Any ideas? _

_As always, I don't own Harry Potter._

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><p>"Step away from her." Harry's voice was full of venom and Hermione was certain that she hadn't seen that much hatred in his eyes in a very long time. Ron continued to stand in shock, seemingly unable to move or speak.<p>

Severus' body tensed as the boy held him at wand point. Instinct told him to draw his wand as well, but his brain told him that it would be a foolish move. Considering the mad look in Potter's eyes, such a movement might trigger him to attack. Instead, he tried his hardest not to sneer and stare him down.

"Harry… It's alright." Her voice came out much smaller than she had meant it to. She focused on his wand tip and noticed that it was shaking slightly. Was he nervous about being close to hexing a teacher? Or was he that angry? The second option made little sense, though. It was common knowledge that he best friend and lover didn't get along but she wouldn't expect Harry to attack a professor.

"I-I can't believe he trusted you. Dumbledore thought you were completely reformed!" Ron unstuck his throat and thrust forward words that didn't make any sense either. It seemed like Ron was insinuating that Severus was still part of the Voldemort's team.

She broke away from Severus then and stepped between her friends and Severus, making it clear that she didn't want any spells being thrown. "Harry, put your wand down and let me explain."

However, to her shock, Ron was suddenly pointing his wand at Hermione, right at her chest. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at him, amazed at the behavior. "Ron! What are you doing?"

Harry answered for him as Ron fought the guilt that he felt. "Give it up, Bellatrix, and tell us where have you put our friend?"

Severus made a strangled sound in his throat and red sparks came out of the end of Harry's wand. "Have you gone mad, Potter?" Hermione could have laughed if she weren't afraid of the look on her best friend's face.

"No. I'm sane. But you must have gone mad. Dumbledore trusted you and you brought her into the castle? Guess you never left your real master, eh, Snape?"

"Harry, you're being ridiculous! I'm not Lestrange! Have you lost your mind?"

"He left the school to find her, I know it. Sirius told me that she would be working on a way to get into the castle. Why not find Voldemort's old supporter to bring her to Dumbledore?"

She looked at Ron now, thinking that Harry's anger was seriously affecting her judgment. He didn't give her a chance to think. "Hermione wouldn't be snogging a Slytherin, especially not the biggest snake of the school."

His words burned a little bit but she swallowed the bile that came up her throat.

"Go ahead and hex her then, Weasley, if you're so sure." Severus' voice was smooth and silky. "And Potter, you'll have a free shot at me."

Neither of the boys moved though and the clever Seventh Year called for the obvious tactic. "Harry, I got you a broomstick care kit for your thirteenth birthday. And Ron got you the pocket Sneakoscope."

Harry's eyes narrowed but he held his wand strong. "Anyone could know that."

"Ron, the first time you met Crookshanks, he jumped on your head and nearly scalped you."

"That was a public place! Loads of people were in there!"

"This is nonsense." Snape spoke up behind her. "You really think I'd allow such filth into the castle. You're delusional. I do know however that once I bring this incident to the Headmaster, both of you will be risking expulsion for threatening a teacher."

"Shut up!" Harry shouted. "I've been looking for proof that you weren't on our side! Now I've got it!"

"Now really…" Albus Dumbledore came around the corner behind Ron and Harry. With a gentle crack, both of their wands snapped to his wrinkled hand. "What's the meaning of this?"

The two boys broke into an explanation right away, accusing Snape of double-teaming the Order and bringing Bellatrix into the castle, masquerading as Hermione.

"And you've arrived at this conclusion how?" The twinkle in his eyes betrayed the smile that he fought to hide.

"They were snogging in the hallway! Hermione! Sirius told me about how-"

"Harry! Ron! It's me! I was kissing him because… well… because I was! But that doesn't make me evil!"

Harry rounded on her, disgust in his voice. "You'd kiss that dungeon bat? You can't be Hermione. She's much smarter than that."

"Apparently not." Severus spoke up words that sounded like an insult to her. She pushed the stinging away.

"I didn't say anything while you were hopelessly in love with Cho, Harry. Now do us all a favor and stop chastising me for who I date! It's none of your business! How dare you accuse me of being that bitch that tried to kill Sirius! How dare you! After all we've been through together, you can't look me in the eyes and realize that it's me?"

It was only then that Harry relaxed his shoulders slightly and Dumbledore stepped forward. "Harry, my dear boy, you're mistaken. Severus has been loyal to us for many years. Your opinions are being skewed by your godfather's view. He means well but I assure you that Professor Snape is clean."

"But professor!" Both boys protested at once.

"No." His face grew stern now. "I won't put my nose in places it doesn't belong but I want no more talk of this nonsense. The three of you are the best of friends and I suspect that you have much to talk about. Severus?" He called for the Potions Master's attention as he handed back their wands.

"Yes, Headmaster?"

"I came to find you because there is a dungeon full of students that are missing their professor. Come with me, please. I wish to speak with you on the way there."

He seemed torn for a minute but he followed the Headmaster after briefly grasping Hermione's hand.

Once the two were out of sight, Ron was the first to speak. "Sorry, Hermione. I don't know what came over me."

She didn't have a chance to respond before Harry snarled, "Snape? Of all the men you could have shagged, it was him?"

It was a moment before the last fifteen minutes caught up to her. Suddenly, her face grew beat red and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. She drew herself up, ready to let him have a piece of her mind.


	11. Chapter 11

_Hello again! Sorry that my updates have been few and far between. I've finally gotten a new laptop though so I hope to be posting more often. _

_This chapter is a little shorter than most of my others and I'm sure that it's riddled with mistakes. I wrote with a certain kind of anger in my mind and I found myself in a rather foul mood myself after I was finished. *sigh* I can't be the only person who gets that far into their writing. I hope I'm not the only one, anyway. _

_Well, enjoy this chapter and, as always, let me know what you think, please. _

_I don't own Harry Potter._

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><p>Harry, obviously oblivious to the warning signs the woman was exhibiting, he continued on, driven by anger. "After everything that arsehole put us through! The years of being locked in his dungeon for his disgusting classes! And you <em>shagged<em> him? Are you mad?" Ron winced and backed away, clearly not wanting to get himself in any more trouble. He was focused on Hermione's face, which was growing redder by the second.

"He hates Gryffindors, as well! Don't you realize that he's probably using you for a good roll about? You stupid prat for falling for his trickery! And you laid in his bed? That slimy, greasy git's _bed_? You're disgusting! And you've slept with a teacher! What? Was **I** not good enough? Or Ron? Or any other guy your own age? Or were you planning on making your way over to us after he dumped your sorry arse?"

**SMACK!**

Harry didn't see her hand escape her robes. He did, however, feel it strike the side of his face.

He stumbled back, his own hand moving to cover the rapidly forming welt. Ron just diverted his attention to the ground, clearly wishing to avoid a similar fate.

"Bastard! How dare you!" Hermione seemed to grow six inches taller as she sucked air in her chest. "You foul, filthy excuse for a friend! Who gave you advice when you wanted to date that wanker, Cho Chang? You comforted you when she dropped you for Cedric? Because he was handsome and popular? Even famous Harry Potter wasn't good enough for that bimbo! But you wanted her! And Ron!"

Ron flinched, scared of being hit. "Wasn't it you who said he cried about it? Sobbed like a bitch, did he?" She didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she advanced on Harry.

"Seven years I've stood by your side, shadowed by that stupid scar on your forehead. Everything you got yourself into, I've gotten you out of! Remember the Triwizard Tournament? Who stayed up, night after night, researching ways to get you through the competition alive? And yet, did you ever look my way? Did you ever see the way I looked at you? Of course not. I was just the best friend. Not pretty enough for **either** of you. But if you needed to copy homework or a spell then who did you call on?"

"I finally find someone who makes me happy and all you can do is threaten him? Even when Dumbledore himself knows about us? And he hasn't condemned us! Or do you think that you're better than him? He's misguided and can't see what you can, yeah? You're the delusional one, Harry Potter! You let your stupid fame get to your head! Everything you've ever done, I've taught you! You forgot who has the brains in our friendship, clearly! Just because I'm shagging Severus doesn't give you any right to open your big mouth! So what if he's older than me? So what if you don't like him? I don't give a damn for your opinion!"

She paused and looked into his eyes, seeing something peculiar there. A small, evil smile appeared on his face then and she dropped her tone down, mimicking Snape's dangerous tone almost perfect. "But this isn't about Severus. It's not about his age or that he's a teacher… You're jealous, aren't you?"

There was an eerie silence in the corridor. No one chose to move or even breathe. Harry looked like he was growing livid again but Hermione's next words put him in his place.

"You're the pathetic one. I can see it in your eyes. You're off your rocker because you don't stand a chance now. You know that you couldn't get in if you tried. And you're pissed that of all people to give me a go, it was Severus Snape."

"Well, newsflash, Potter. You waited too long. You didn't have the balls to ask me out, over the seven bloody years we've spent together. It's your loss."

Now that Hermione was finished her rant, she shrunk a few inches and pushed past Ron, striking him in the shoulder as she moved to pick up her books. Without looking back, she headed in the direction of the charms corridor.

Blinded by her fury, she rushed past Draco Malfoy hiding behind a statue, a stunned look plastered to his face. She never saw him.

It took a few moments for Ron to move or make a sound. "Er… Harry?"

Seemingly woken up by Ron's voice, Harry rubbed his face, a distant look on his face. He looked in his wand hand and realized that he must have dropped it at some point. "Lost my wand" he muttered.

The two set off to find it in silence, neither of them knowing what to say. They were so preoccupied that they didn't see Draco take off down the corridor.

Before entering the Charms classroom, Hermione composed herself in the bathroom, fixing her hair and washing her face. By the time she was finished, no one would have any idea about the row she just had with Harry. _Ron was just a bystander_, she told herself. _He knew better than to open his mouth_. "He'll be easy to forgive." She even spoke the lines out loud. "Harry, on the other hand..."

Now that she was alone, she could feel something like sadness creeping into her chest. It made her breath catch and the corner of her eyes burn. With both hands, she gripped the sides of the sink, staring down at the tap in an attempt to compose herself. After a few moments, she took in a deep gulp of air and shuddered, a whimper escaping her throat. That's when the first tears dropped from her eyes and fell onto the tap.

Overwhelmed, she sat down on the ledge that ran around the wall and buried her face in her hands, sobbing.


	12. Chapter 12

_Hello there! Sorry that I've been neglecting my stories recently. I've been busy earning money for school books and all. I did get a new laptop (I think I said that already) so I should be writing a little bit more. I tried to do it the old fashioned way, but I just couldn't be bothered. It was too slow. . _

_Anyway, not much happens in this chapter. I just needed a bridge to the next one, where things are going to get very complicated after Draco opens his big mouth. _

_I did want to make one remark though. I portray Ron a little differently in this chapter than most people do. I think he's an under-appreciated character in the series and there are A LOT of Ron-bashers out there. Really, I think he's good guy. And I tried to roll with that in this chapter. _

_As always, if you leave me a review, I'll leave you a review for something of yours. It may take me a little while to do it but I'll get to it as soon as I have a chance. _

_Thanks for reading, even though I don't own Harry Potter!_

_Enjoy!_

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><p>Tiny Professor Flitwick looked up at Hermione Granger with scrutinizing eyes. Her apology for missing Charms seemed to be sincere but he was very strict on his policies. He suggested detention and Hermione tried to plead her case, seemingly near tears the whole time. Considering her past attendance records, grades, and performance overall, the professor showed her some mercy and let her off with a warning in the end.<p>

While she walked to Transfiguration, she covertly scanned the corridors, looking for Ron and Harry. Part of her felt sorry after a good cry but the other part of her was still very angry and hurt. She wasn't going to apologize to them. They didn't deserve it. Not after everything that Harry said and what Ron accused her of.

In Transfiguration, Ron sat next to Hermione but Harry was nowhere to be seen. They didn't exchange pleasantries before Ron whispered in Hermione's ear. "Harry's locked himself in our dormitory."

She tried to look smug and ignore him but guilt burned in her chest and the corners of her eyes. A deep breath composed her emotions however and she snapped "Talking to me, are you? Even after what you found out?" Her eyes were sharp, searching as they surveyed his face.

Hermione was surprised to see that he looked sorry; truly sorry. "I'll admit that he wouldn't have been my first choice for you but it's just that; your choice." He shrugged and started digging through his bag for his text book. "I'm sorry I accused you like that," he continued, not wanting to talk about her relations with the Potions professor. "But I was really shocked and I went with Harry was on about before I really thought about it for myself. You know. Impulse."

Despite herself, she could feel her anger ebbing away. It wasn't often that he admitted that he often followed Harry like a lost dog. This would be one of the few times he humbled himself like that and it mattered to her immensely. "Yeah. I know." She stopped talking then as Minerva got up from her desk to speak.

"Weasley! Granger!" Her sharp voice made them both jump at being addressed. "Where's Potter?"

Hermione looked back toward the parchment on her desk and let Ron answer that he hadn't seen him for a bit and that he wasn't feeling well earlier. She seemed to accept this for the moment and then added "Fine. But when he's feeling better, he'd better see me about missing my class."

The two agreed to pass on the message.

Throughout the class, she wasn't sure of where they stood as friends. The air between them seemed normal enough but a little strained. After they were dismissed, Ron stayed back to help her gather up her things.

"You're the smartest witch I know, Hermione." His words were quiet and cautious, as though he had thought about them for the whole class. "You know what you're doing, I'll bet. I understand that but I don't think Harry will. Not for a while. He was pretty mad. And I think that you hitting him probably wasn't the best of ideas."

"You're not suggesting I apologize, are you?" She sputtered and blinked, taken aback. "Did you hear what he said? The foul, horrible things-"

"Hey!" He put up his hands in the classic "I surrender" sign, not wanting to ruin the civil speak. "I didn't say that! I was just saying that he's pretty upset. But I wonder if he's more upset with you or with himself."

"Oh." Hermione pondered this on the way to the Great Hall with Ron. Her stomach growled loudly, protesting her skipping of breakfast. She scanned the staff table automatically when she walked in. Severus was there, speaking to Hagrid. Even from the distance she was at, she could see the curl of his lip. _He's attempting to be polite by talking to him… I wonder why_. She knew that he had never attempted to carry a conversation with the groundskeeper before. It warmed her heart to see that he was trying.

Harry wasn't at lunch either. Ron and Hermione didn't speak much. They were both lost in their own thoughts. However, towards the end of the meal, Ron looked up at her and said "I've got a free block next. I'm going to go check on Harry."

"He might be angry that you're speaking to me," she responded stiffly, carefully avoiding his eyes while she moved crisps around on her plate.

He sniffed "So? He'll get over it. I can't abandon a friend every time you guys get into a tiff."

For the first time since breakfast time, Hermione smiled. It was a small one but Ron felt satisfied.

Hermione didn't see Harry for the rest of the academic day. Ron confirmed what she has suspected; he was still sitting in the dormitory. "He's sulking, I think. He wasn't into talking when I went up there and I didn't press it."

"Oh." Even though Harry had said horrible things to her, the length of time that had passed and the distraction of her classes made her harder for her to stay angry. Though she wasn't going to apologize for anything she said or did, it took too much energy to stay mad at him.

After her last class, she made her way down to the dungeons, changing the colors of the trim of her robes to better blend in. She was able to slip into the Potions classroom that held his office undetected.

When she knocked on the office door, he answered, looking harassed until he saw who it was. He stood aside to let her in. Once the door was closed, they looked at each other, neither of them moving or speaking. Thirty seconds or so went by before Hermione broke the silence.

"Hi."

He stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms without saying anything. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, feeling suddenly weaker than she had all day. As her emotions threatened to overwhelmed her again, she stepped back, look flustered.

"I saw you with Weasley at lunch. I take it you're on speaking terms with him."

"Yes. He apologized. But I haven't seen Harry since. You missed the big fight after you left."

He smiled grimly and turned to sit behind his desk, transfiguring the hard wooden chair across from it into something large and poofy for his girlfriend. "No, Albus and I overheard. We had suspected what was coming so we stayed around the corner." Then he grimaced. "I didn't like what Potter was saying to you."

"Neither did I, Severus." She took the seat gratefully, fearing that her knees would give out sooner or later from sheer exhaustion if she didn't.

"Would you like tea? Or maybe something stronger?" His eyes gave away no sign of humor, nor did his lips. Hermione assumed he meant alcohol.

She shook her head. "I'm alright."

"No you're not." His voice was soft, almost tender as he regarded her with soft eyes. "Was it what he said?"

She thought for a moment before nodding a little. "Partly."

He leaned back in his chair. "He's arrogant, Hermione, and unlikely to admit that he was wrong. I'm surprised that Weasley came back to apologize so quickly. I thought that he would stick with Potter through this."

"Me too. But he said that he can't abandon his friend every time one of us argues with the other."

He was thoughtful for a moment, still watching her with a soften expression. She wished that the chair was big enough for two. For some reason, she was craving his embrace again.

"Potter will come around in time, love. Don't worry. If he doesn't, you don't need to call him a friend." He made it sound so simple but she knew in her heart that it really wasn't.

To make things easier, she just agreed. "I know, Severus."


	13. Chapter 13

_Hello! Normally I hate the chapters that I turn out but this one has me rather excited! I can't wait to see what my readers think of it! Please leave me a review with your thoughts? _

_I've got a lot of new ideas for this fanfic now that I've reached this point and I can't wait to start turning them out. Remember to share with your friends and read my other stories! _

_Of course, I don't own Harry Potter._

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><p><em>She's seeking comfort<em>, Severus thought to himself as he watched her with guarded eyes. _Every bone in my body wants to tell her the truth, but that would only upset her more. It might just be easier to tell her what she wants to hear. _So that's what he did. He stated that her male friend would come around in time. He couldn't resist adding his own touch to the end. That way, he didn't feel like he was betraying himself as much.

Her response to his words was tired. She was emotionally stressed and Severus marveled at how much this fight seemed to affect her. He decided then that he had made a good choice in choosing to live his life without many acquaintances. It looked like it was too much work and drama than it was worth.

She wasn't relaxing in his presence and he came to the conclusion that he would have to do a little more than just listen to her. He crooked a finger in her direction, bidding her to come to his side.

"No, no, no." She shook her head. "I'll be quite alright."

Why she denied him, she didn't know. Clearly she could use another hug but she didn't feel like moving now that she was seated in one place.

He sighed heavily at her refusal and stood up, transfiguring the couch into a love seat with her still on it. He sat beside her and opened up his arms, a free invitation for her to snuggle.

Hermione looked at him carefully, wondering when he became good at this type of thing. She briefly thought about how hard he was trying to keep his mouth shut against the two boys. It was common knowledge that he wasn't fond of them. She waited for him to speak out but she prompted discussion.

"Are you going to tell me what you really think?"

He frowned. _She knows me well_. "Perhaps. But not at the moment. I suspect that you've had enough to deal with in one day."

She mused over this for a moment, knowing what was really on his mind. She then settled on the idea that he was right; she didn't want to hear it right now and she was grateful for his aversion to the topic.

Feeling very much like a child, she leaned into him and he pulled his robed arms around her. Though she felt immature, she was surprised at how warm she suddenly was. Childish or no, she felt better than she had all day.

For a few minutes, she closed her eyes, very content in his embrace.

Severus stroked her hair, occasionally pressing his lips to the smooth curls. His mind was distracted, searching for the proper words to help her heal. He focused on nothing in particular, his eyes restless.

He seemed to care about nothing else than the woman he held. To illustrate this, his dark eyes came to rest on a beetle that was crawling across the back of the love seat. When he directed his attention to it, it froze, as though it was aware that a predator had spotted it.

Normally, he would have burned the bug but, today, it got a free pass to live. He flicked it and it flew across the room. Where it landed? It didn't matter.

XXXXXXXX

Draco Malfoy sat atop his bed in the Slytherin dormitory, having finished all of his classes for the day. Crabbe and Goyle, his near constant companions, were nowhere to be found. They hadn't put up a fight when he asked them to leave him alone for a few hours. Uncharacteristically, he was alone.

Hands folded in front of him, he stared down at his feet on the stone floor. He hadn't moved for quite some time. His thoughts were racing, wondering what knowledge he would find out soon. The sun was sinking through his window. _Sundown_, he thought, _she promised at sundown_.

Growing impatient, he stood from the bed and began to pace the floor, slowly at first, as though he was taking inventory of his room. His light eyes grazed gently against the four poster bed that hung silk drapery down the sides. His mother had insisted upon green and silver, the colors of his house, naturally. Draco hadn't protested.

Next, he looked over the mahogany desk. Like the bed, this wasn't a typical piece of furniture that one might find in any student's room. Rather, it looked like it belonged in the Headmaster's office. Then again, Draco Malfoy wasn't treated as any other student because of his father's position in the ministry.

He used to get annoyed about being considered higher than the other students but, as time went on, he got used to it and fully embraced it.

Draco went to sit on the window sill, mind still reeling from what he witnessed today. His thoughts ran a muck with what he could do with such devastating information. Snape was the Head of his House and he was like a mentor to the boy. However, the way that he had spoken to him today… in defense of his _girlfriend_… it made his blood boil just under the surface.

And, of course, he had never been on speaking terms with the Mudblood girl but she hung around with precious Potter. Any chance to knock him down a few pegs had to be taken. His father would be highly disappointed if he missed the opportunity.

As he watched the sun setting, a large green beetle smacked against the glass and he jerked his head back in surprise. He watched in confusion as the bug startled to crawl in a star-shaped pattern. For a few moments, he watched the critter crawl then, realizing what it was, opened up his window.

The beetle flew in and landed in the center of his area rug. He blinked and a woman dressed in all green stood there. She regarded Draco over the rim of her sparkly glasses with a smirk. "You were right, Draco. There's quite a story here."

He crossed his arms and looked Rita Skeeter up and down. "Did you doubt it?" Leaning coolly against the window, he waited to hear what she saw in the dungeons.


	14. Chapter 14

_I'm lucky that I got this chapter written today. I've been insanely busy lately. Don't you love when everything happens at one time? _

_Anyway, I got some nice feedback over my last chapter. I'm glad to see that I surprised most everyone with my addition of Rita Skeeter! I don't like her either but she seemed perfect for letting the cat out of the bag on their relationship. I side-tracked myself for a while on the story. Recently, I remembered that they were supposed to be found out so... enter Rita Skeeter. With a vengence. Lol!_

_Anyway, here's my new chapter. Of course, I'm not as awesome as JKR, who is the real owner of Harry Potter._

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><p>Rita Skeeter turned to his desk and sat down on the posh chair, making herself at home without invitation. "I had my misgivings." She had conjured her bag out of nowhere and started littering the tabletop with parchment and bright green quills. "But you can't really blame me. The last time I muddled in the lives of students here, I was blackmailed by that rat, Granger." The sneer was evident in her voice for the next line, even though Draco couldn't see her red lips. "Now it's time for a little payback."<p>

A little miffed at having his personal space invaded, Draco rolled his eyes. "You didn't say you had a personal vendetta against the Mudblood. I should have suspected it though. You did arrive quickly. Eagerly."

"Of course." She was attempting to balance a green quill on parchment now: A Quick-Quotes Quill. Her next words were distracted. "If you had the chance for revenge you would take it too. You're just as capricious as I am."

"What's stopping Granger from blackmailing you after you publish her love affair?" He sounded doubtful.

"I registered myself as an Animagus with the Ministry. Problem solved. Now, be quiet, will you?"

The blonde haired boy frowned, feeling seriously put off by her attitude in his own room. He bit his tongue though.

Rhinestones glittering in her glasses, she cleared her throat. With any blockage removed, she began to speak her story.

In a few moments, the room was filled with the sound of her voice and the scratching of the quill. Curious, Draco moved forward and read the page.

_Home-Wrecking at Hogwarts:_

_By: Rita Skeeter_

_With all of the talk about the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Named, I've decided to make my comeback as a reporter, starting with a story of betrayal and heartbreak, disloyalty and disrespect. _

_As if the Boy-Who-Lived didn't have enough heartache in his life, someone very close to him is tragically doing him dirty. _

_It's come to light that Hermione Granger, seventh year student at Hogwarts and the betrothed of Harry Potter, is carrying on an inappropriate relationship behind the young man's back with a trusted instructor: Potions Master, Severus Snape. _

_A student himself years ago at Hogwarts, Snape, 34, has found comfort in the arms of the cleverest student there in these troubled times. Granger, being barely legal at 18, has reciprocated such feelings, tearing apart the relationship that Harry Potter risked everything to build. _

_Furthermore, it seems that Albus Dumbledore is in the know about these relations and supports them, making us question who is in charge of educating our children. _

…The article continued on, bashing Dumbledore for allowing such a relationship to happen, questioning his method of hiring competent staff. It even brought up his hiring of werewolf, Remus Lupin years ago, knowing exactly what he was.

When Rita stopped talking, the Quill poofed and she waited for the ink to dry. "I had those things modified. They actually write what I say now."

Draco was rolling the words over in his thoughts. Though, the article spoke mostly the truth, he was beginning to have second thoughts about such slanderous material being printed in the Daily Prophet. He voiced his concerns out loud before fully considering them.

Rita scoffed, missing the true meaning of his words. "The Daily Prophet? Ha. I wish. I'm still writing bi-lines for the Quibbler. I'll be sending this in to my old publisher and I hope he takes the story but otherwise… I'll have to stick with what I have."

"Oh."

The woman in green was cleaning up her mess now, replacing it in her bag. After everything was clear, the bag poofed into thin air. She stood up and held out her hand for the boy to shake. "The article should be printed in two days. It's been nice doing business with you, Mr. Malfoy. Don't be such a stranger, you know."

When he pulled his hand away, there was a golden Galleon there. He looked up and saw her wink. With that, she was a beetle again, taking off through his window.

Feeling oddly conflicted, he went to close the window. Now that he was alone, the room felt emptier than usual.

He shrugged off the emotions and went to take a shower.

Hermione didn't stay with Severus that night. She left with a small smile on her face, feeling better than she had all day.

Harry wasn't in the common room and she tried her best not to let it bother her. She didn't see Ron, either. With a resolved kind of sigh, she retired to her dormitory for the evening.

The next day went as smoothly as ever, with the exception of her friendship with Harry.

He had returned to class but refused to acknowledge that Hermione existed, let alone speak to her. Ron was doing his best with the feud and trying to talk sense into his male buddy but nothing was working. The bushy haired girl did her best to ignore his immaturity and keep smiling.

However, the events of the next day wiped the smile from her face.

Hermione went down to breakfast with a silent Harry and Ron like she usually did. She ate her oatmeal with a spoon, making casual conversation with Ginny.

When the morning owls arrived, she didn't even look up until a small screech owl dropped a letter into her bowl. Confused, she picked it up and didn't have a chance to look at the name on the parchment before two dozen more dropped on top of her head.

Completely bewildered, she looked up to see Harry and Ron looking at her curiously. Her eyes shifted to the staff table and she saw that Severus and Professor Dumbledore were in the same situation, only their piles seemed to be larger. She watched as the Headmaster reached for a copy of the Daily Prophet. His face disappeared behind the paper for only a brief moment before he stood up, waved his wand, and every scrap of mail in the Great Hall disappeared.


	15. Chapter 15

_I really hate not being able to post more often. I'm spending a lot of time on my school work now and I'm also a Beta reader for a few people. Furthermore, I just joined my school's band so my time is being taken up. I'm going to make an effort to write more and get more chapters up. Hopefully. I always say that but it doesn't always work. _

_Anyway, here's another chapter. Please read and review it. I love to hear from my readers. It gives me motivation to keep writing the stories. _

_Of course, I don't own Harry Potter._

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><p>Draco was in the process of opening a letter from his mother when it disappeared into thin air. He looked up in time to see every other student appearing just as confused as he was. With a faint smile, he realized what must have happened when he saw that Dumbledore was eyeing his Potions Master, beckoning him to come with a crooked finger.<p>

His lips were moving quickly and his old eyes were narrowed. Snape grew paler in color, if that was even possible as he listened to Dumbledore's words. At the conclusion of their brief exchange, he swept out of the Great Hall, his black robes billowing behind him.

He didn't look at Hermione on the way out.

The Hall went into an uproar. Angry students were getting to their feet, demanding to know why their mail was conjured away. The ancient old man sighed heavily and caught Hermione's eye. Then, he left the hall without any explanation, just as Severus had done.

The clever seventh-year girl wasted no time in gathering up her belongings and rushing after them. On the way out, she collided with more than one student but she didn't care. Harry and Ron's protests were ignored.

Out in the corridor, she stopped and looked around. It was deserted and she realized that she had no idea where either the Headmaster or her lover had gone.

Before she could make a decision on where to go, a strong hand gripped her arm and started dragging her away from the Great Hall. Startled, she was going to lash out until she saw Severus. His eyes were cold as he stared straight ahead, not even offering a glance her way. Hermione gulped, knowing that he was very angry.

He set a strong pace and, although she figured out that she was supposed to follow, he didn't release the grip he had on her arm. "Severus," she gasped, after she tripped and nearly fell. "What's going on?"

They rounded a corner then and she saw Dumbledore waiting for them. "Miss Granger. We're heading to my office." Dumbledore joined the awkward march to the Headmaster's Wing.

Stopped outside of the large statue that housed his office, Snape still hadn't released Hermione's arm. Her fingers were beginning to get cold and tingle with blood loss. She gave him a pleading look and he finally let her go, leaving her free to rub her arm where he had pulled her.

Locked safely in Dumbledore's office, both of them were handed copies of the Daily Prophet. There, on the front page, was an animated picture of the couple, flanked by a disgruntled image of Harry in the corner.

As she read the words of the notorious Rita Skeeter, Hermione's eyes grew wider and wider while the line of Severus' mouth became thinner and thinner.

"But how!" Her voice was shrill when she reached the end of the article. Childishly, she tossed the paper to the ground and jumped to her feet. "How did she find out? And why would the Prophet publish her rubbish?"

At his desk, Dumbledore was deep in thought. He folded his long fingers together in front of him, contemplating possible answers. After a few moments of silence, he spoke gently, "I don't know, Miss Granger. But this is a very delicate situation that we've found ourselves in. I will be summoning Rita on my own time but right now, we should be most concerned with the reaction of the outside world. I can only keep the mail from the student body for so long. But they aren't the ones I'm worried about. It's the parents."

"I'm nineteen! It shouldn't matter! I made the choice!"

He was shaking his head before she even finished her sentence. "That may be true, but it isn't going to matter to the parents of the students. Severus is a teacher." He nodded towards him. "The relationship isn't appropriate to those that don't understand."

Hermione just stomped her foot and crossed her arms, completely frustrated and worried. "I don't even know how that foul woman found out!" Staring at the floor, she racked her brain for the answer. A disgusted dawning look came to her face in no time at all.

Severus caught the look before she could speak. "No, Hermione. Potter may hate me but he wouldn't do such a thing. And Weasley doesn't have the gall to act alone. No… it must have been someone else."

"I agree, Severus." He sighed heavily, "But someone has it out for you two and we currently don't know who it is."

"So what do we do?" Hermione's voice piped up.

"I can't tell you. We'll have to fend off those parents. I'll do my best to keep the castle off limits from the press and worried people. What you do with your classmates will be your business."

"You aren't firing Severus?"

He shook his head with a chuckle. "Of course not. Tonks didn't quite fill his shoes and I'm not likely to find someone else for the job."

"So what are we going to do?" She repeated the question, because she couldn't think of the answer for once in her life.

The two men exchanged glances with each other, as though sharing some secret without speaking.

"What?"

Neither of them spoke. The tension in the air was almost tangible.

Finally, Albus spoke, eyeing her carefully. "There's only one way to quell this fire down, short of firing Severus and lying."

"And that is what?"

"Well," Severus walked in her direction but stopped a few feet short of her. "We could get married."


	16. Chapter 16

_Another chapter in less than 24 hours? Woo! I'm on a roll! _

_Don't ask why I pushed this one out so quickly. I just had to write it while I had the chance. _

_And considering that I'm writing it in the school library, I think it turned out pretty well. Leave me a review and let me know what you think! I'll need a smile while I'm in class all afternoon! Please and thank you! You guys are the best! _

_I don't own Harry Potter._

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><p>Both of the men heard her gulp loudly. "Married?" Her mouth felt surprisingly dry. "You're kidding, right?"<p>

Severus shrugged, a very uncharacteristic movement for him. "I'm not. It would shake the community, seeing as how it's rather serious. Currently, they're seeing us a wild, lustful fling. It might stir them up for quite a bit but, eventually, they would have to calm down."

Her brown eyes wouldn't get any smaller. She couldn't believe what he was saying so he looked to her Headmaster for help. However, her stomach dropped when she saw that he was smiling gently and nodding his head. "You can't possible agree with him?" Voice slightly hysterical, she yelped the sentence more than spoke it.

Albus chuckled deeply, as though he was sharing some secret with the Potions Master. "Severus has a point. Why are you so distressed? You can't be afraid of the commitment."

She sputtered, angry now. "I've been with him for a month! Not even that! Talking about _marriage_," she said the word with venom, "is hardly appropriate!"

"I could argue that." His gray-blue eyes were warm with mirth. "Growing up in my time, that sort of thing was quite acceptable; normal even. As a matter of fact, more marriages from my time stayed together than the marriages do today."

"If it bothers you that much, we could marry for show only. Quell the public. After all, it's what our relationship is to _us_ that matters; everyone else is irrelevant." Severus spoke in a calm and easy manner and it made Hermione's blood simmer just underneath the surface of her skin.

_How can he be so rational about such a thing?_

Feeling oddly defeated, she sank into a chair as far away from them as possible and sulked, thoughts running freely through her mind. _A week ago, Severus was unable to feel any emotion at all, and now he suggests _marriage_? He must be coming unhinged! But then, why is Professor Dumbledore agreeing with him? They can't be serious! I must be missing something here. _

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, may I ask you a question?" Her brown eyes tentatively met his blue.

"Of course, Miss Granger. You just did. However, because I'm in a pleasant mood, I will allow you to ask another." The smile behind his beard was obvious.

"Did **you** tell Rita Skeeter? Was this planned?"

Snape scoffed and the old man chuckled. "Hardly. I'm quite oblivious as to who alerted the masses, I can assure you."

She folded her arms, feeling defensive. Suddenly, she wanted to be back in the main part of the castle. Being confronted by angry parents and confused students was suddenly a more-appealing prospect than sitting in this office, considering things as absurd as marriage.

As though he could read her mind, her lover spoke up, looking towards Albus. "I think that you should give the students their mail. I think that we'll be quite alright to face them. It may take some getting used to but I'm resilient."

The old man nodded in understanding and flicked his wand without an incantation.

They were dismissed from the office.

Out in the corridor, Hermione was trying her best not to panic. Severus was little help, smiling slightly to himself.

As they walked along, no one stopped them but the looks on the students' faces said it all. They read the Daily Prophet. They knew why they moved together. "So…" He grinned down at her, white teeth dazzling her for a moment. She had to remind herself that she was angry with him. "You haven't given me an answer yet."

She shot him a look that said _Don't even try it_. He laughed, deep in his chest, planted a kiss on her forehead then moved towards the dungeons.

Hermione left the scene quickly with burning cheeks. The stares were incredulous. "Take a picture!" She snapped to a group of second years. "It will last longer."

A loud click sounded to her left and she saw Colin Creevey, holding up a camera. He shrugged sheepishly. "You gave me permission, didn't you?"

"ARGH!" She broke into a sprint towards her dormitory before she could curse him and anyone else in the area. Head down, she couldn't see where she was going and she ran headlong into Draco Malfoy.

The two went flying to the ground, books scattering, and they both cursed loudly.

"Granger! Watch where you're going, you stupid prat!" He pulled himself up quickly and Hermione followed suit. She could hear the annoying clicking of Colin's camera from the other end of the hall.

"What's the matter?" She sneered. "You haven't got your two cronies to carry you so you need help walking? Piss off! I don't have time to deal with you!"

Waving her wand, she sent her books to her room and left the blonde-haired Slytherin smirking after her and she continued on her way.

She yelled the password to the Fat Lady, and climbed inside the portrait hole as quickly as she could. The common room was virtually deserted with classes going on so she ran for the stairs.

Here, however, she didn't pay enough attention and she ran into another warm body.

Before she could get a look at who it was, the two fell in a heap down the stairs.

Dazed, Hermione didn't move at first, cursing herself for her attraction to collisions today.

"Blimey, Hermione… I didn't think that you would skip class, of all people." Her eyes snapped open and she was staring at Harry's bewildered face. With a snapping sound, she shut her mouth and stood up.

"Yeah, well, if there was ever a better time…"

He nodded, looking up at her. "So… have you heard?"

"Heard what?" She snapped, yet again, attempting to smooth her gentle curls back into place.

"That you're cheating on me with Snape, of course. It's in all the papers. After that stunt that Dumbledore pulled at breakfast, everyone was eager to read what he was trying to hide."


	17. Chapter 17

_It's been forever since I posted, I know, but school has started back up so I've got less time to devote to writing fanfiction. Sadly. _

_Not to mention that this chapter gave me a lot of problems. It's terrible, I think, and I forgot where I was going with the story temporarily. But the idea is back now and the next chapter will be on a better track. _

_Let me know what you think, please. I know that there's not much to go on here but I love reading reviews! They give me a reason to keep writing. _

_As always, I don't own Harry Potter._

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><p>She only glared at him, waiting for more rubbish to fly out of his mouth. However, as she stared, she was shocked to see his lips spread into a wide smile. "Bloody hell, Hermione. You know that I'm kidding."<p>

"Oh? You're speaking to me again?" Her words were bitter, caustic. "Shame. I was growing used to the silence."

"Well, you did shag the Potions Master. A Slytherin. Someone who has hated our entire house for years." His smile didn't fade, despite the inflammatory words he spoke. "But I guess that you could consider yourself forgiven, you know, for such a vile thing."

Hermione considered him for a minute, debating on whether or not she should call out his dreadfully clear arrogance. It wasn't a look that suited Harry but she decided that she had enough issues to deal with that day. That wasn't going to stop her from getting a small bit of revenge though.

"Well good. You can be the best man at our wedding." She started heading up the stairs as his mouth fell open and his jaw almost hit the floor. Working to hide her smirk, she didn't stop ascending the stairs.

"Wedding?" he choked out, obviously not expecting that blow. "You're marrying him?"

Turning, she winked at him. "He's suggested it and Dumbledore is all for it."

Harry visibly cringed. "You can't be serious. Marriage? You're not even out of school." He started to follow her up the stairs, all mocking behavior gone.

"I know. Wild, yeah? I thought so too." Her laughter was getting harder to hide as she tapped her wand on the lock of her door.

As expected, Harry followed her inside. "You can't be serious," he repeated, looking anxious now. "You just can't be."

Putting her books on the desk, she turned and smiled. "I'm not. But I sure had you going."

She watched in amusement as he let out a sharp breath of air and sank onto her bed. "Blimey," was the only speech he could muster in his current state.

"You deserved it, you know. I shouldn't be speaking to you at all."

"I can say the same thing!" he blurted out.

Shrugging, she sat down beside him. "Not really. I can date whom I please. I don't need anyone's permission."

"That might work with me but trying telling that to the rest of the wizarding world."

She sighed. "I know. But I'm not concerned with it at the moment. I just need to deal with it one step at a time."

They were silent for a few minutes. Hermione felt like there was a lot that he wasn't saying. She knew that she wasn't speaking everything on her mind. Apparently, the fight between them was hindering normal conversation.

"You were right in not telling me. Or Ron. I'm sorry that I acted like such an ass."

"I'm not even sure of the relationship as it is, Harry."

Hermione tried her best to ignore the almost hopeful look on his face. "Yeah? Why's that?"

"It's moving too quickly. I wonder if he's really thought this out or if he's just acting on… instinct, almost? There hasn't been any time to think…"

"Have you told him that?"

"No."

"Are you going to?"

"I don't know."

The silence came back. It was interrupted by a loud tapping sound at her window lattice. Confused, Hermione went to let a beautiful, large owl into her room.

It flew around several times before landing on top of a post on her bed. It looked down at the two of them with large eyes and then dropped a letter on the comforter. "Isn't that Malfoy's owl?"

Scowling, Hermione moved to pick up the folded piece of parchment. "I think so." Reading the neat scrawl, her scowl didn't move.

_Granger: _

_I need to speak with you. _

_After classes, meet me outside the main doors._

_I'm going alone. Do the same. _

_Malfoy_

"Sounds like a trap." Harry's voice broke the silence. "'Go alone'? That might happen. I'll follow you down in the cloak."

"I don't think that's necessary," but she didn't believe it. Maybe it was the fact that she was dating the Head of Slytherin, but she wanted to give Malfoy the benefit of the doubt. If his henchmen weren't going to be there, she should be fine. It wasn't likely that he could get a hex on her without difficulty. She was no novice in dueling.

"You don't know that. It might be safer-"

"No. It's okay. I can take care of myself, Harry."

"Fine…"

Hermione skipped all of her classes that day, for the first time in history. After Harry left her room, she laid back, lost in thought. All day, letters came for her. After she opened the first few, she realized that they all said the same thing, basically. It was the rest of the world against her love interest. She stopped reading them and put a cloaking spell on her room so the owls couldn't find her.

After classes were official over, she slipped from her dormitory and took the path of least resistance out of the castle. That included heading to the ground floor, slipping out of a window and then walking around the circumference of the castle until she reached the front doors.

She didn't encounter anyone, luckily, hoping that everyone was at dinner.

But Malfoy was there, leaning against a stone pillar, staring at the ground.

He didn't notice her right away and she looked around. True to his word, Crabbe and Goyle weren't there and she knew that neither of them could hold up a spell to stay hidden.

Malfoy must have heard her approach because he looked in her direction and greeted her. "Granger."

"Malfoy. What's this about?"

He looked around suspiciously. "Where are they? Hiding under that cloak behind you?" His sneer was less than normal, like he was nervous.

"I'm alone, Malfoy. Get on with it."

He stood up straight then and started heading for the Forbidden Forest. "Fine. Take a walk with me, Granger. I don't want to be overheard."


End file.
